Separation of metals



Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF-FIGTE.

BIGUBD GIEBTSEN, OF KEISTIANSAI I'DS, NORWAY, ASSIGNOR TO KRISTIAHSANDSmmrmrnmnmesvnnx, O1? KBISTIANSANDS, S. NORWAY, A CORPORATION 01 NORWAY.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGURD GIERTSEN, a citizen of Norway, residing atKristiansands, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Separation of Metals; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it 'appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an improved method of separating copper fromcoppernickel solutions such as copper-nickel sulpha te solutions bycementation.

The invention is based upon the discovery that copper can be effectivelyseparated from copper-nickel sulphate solutions 'by cementation upon rawBessemerized coppernickel matte. 1 By fine crushing of the raw mattebefore cementation by mechanical stirring and by the use of a more orless iOIiCBIltliltQd form of the raw matte, the cementing capacity ofthe matte can be materially increased, so that the greater part of thenickel can he removed from the matte by the cementation.

It has been the common practice heretofore to make use of reduced metal(produced by oxidation or roasting of- Bessemerized copper-nickel matteand subsequent reduction) for cementing copper from coppernickelsulphate solutions. I have found, however, that the productionof reducedmetal, by roasting and subsequent reduction,

is unnecessary, and that the raw Bessemer-c ized matte itself can beused for the cementation.

I have further found that the cementing capacity of the raw Bessemerizedmatte canv be materially increased by so modifying the Bessemerizingoperation that the resulting matte is materially reduced in its sulfurcontent. Ordinarily, prolonged blowing in the.

Bessemer converter results in freezing the charge, but I have found thatby adding to the charge a small amount of scrap iron or other heatproducing material, such as ferrosilicon, suflicient additional heatwill besupplied by the oxidation to permit the sulfur tobe graduallyloweredto a degree consid: crably below that otherwise commerciallysEramirIoN or METALS.

Application filed September 26, 1921. Serial No. 503,358.

feasible. A small quantity oflow grade matte or pyrrhotite ore is welladapted for use as heat producing material, since such materials seem togive off their sulfur very quickly, leaving the iron to oxidize andthereby supply the supplemental heat. By thus prolonging the blowingoperation, it is possible to produce a raw Bessemerized matte containinga materially reduced sulfur content, for example, less than. ten percent, or even as low as eight per cent or less of. sulfur. Theconcentrated matte thus produced, with its lowered sulfur content, isparticularly advantageous for use in the cementing process. I V

Thecarrying out of the cementing operation is promoted by heating of thesolution. The solution may thus be heated to boiling to promote thecementation, particularly where the cementing capacity of the matte isto be utilized as quickly as possible, or where the matte contains itsnormal sulfur content. The cementing operation will also be promoted byfine grinding of the raw matte or by stirring as well as byconcentration of the matte to a greater or less extent by reducing itssulfur content in the manner above described.

'Thc cementing operationcan be carried out in a progressive manner, oron the counter-current principle, by bringing the fresh solution intocontact with the partially exhausted matte, and utilizing the freshcopper-nickel solutions, which comprisestreating the same withBessemerized copper nickel matte containing less than about ten per centof sulfur. P

I In testimony whereof I aflix SIGURD GIERTSEN.

my signature.

